Box kite



Feb. 10, 1959 w; A. CORBIN BOX KITE Filed April 20 IN VEN TOR. Mflm 772 A. 4W2 in Wfi 2122 United States Patent BOX KITE William A. Corbin, Harmony, I. Application April 20, 1956, Serial No. 579,467

2 Claims. (Cl. 244-153) The present invention relates generally to amusement devices and more particularly to a novel and improved box kite construction. I

A primary object of the instant invention is the provision of a box kite which may be readily assembled and disassembled. I

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a box kite which may be readily repaired should one of the parts thereof becomedamaged or broken.

Another object is the provision of a box kite, which although readily assembled and disassembled, isnevertheless durable and sturdy when in set-up condition.

A further object of the instant invention is the provision of a box kite construction which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which may be easily assembled into set-up condition, and which is highly effective in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by me for carrying out my invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box kite constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, a portion of one of the cross sticks being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective, on an enlarged scale, showing the corner construction of my box kite;

Fig. 4 is a perspective section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail, on an enlarged scale, of a cross stick which comprises a part of the instant invention; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail, on an enlarged scale, of a body stick which forms a part of the instant invention. It has been found desirable to provide a box kite which may be readily assembled and disassembled or demounted. Heretofore, the setting up and demounting of kites of this type have proven to be exceedingly difficult and cumbersome. Accordingly, when prior art kites of this type became damaged in any respect, it was usually necessary to discard the entire item. In order to overcome these disadvantages and at the same time provide a kite which when set up is of durable and sturdy construction thereby enabling it to withstand the normal buffeting to which items of this type are subjected, I have devised a novel and improved kite construction, now to be described.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown as at 10 a box kite construction in accordance with the instant invention having a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated body sticks 12, preferably of a somewhat yielding material, such as wood or the like. As will be seen most clearly in Fig. 1, the sticks 12 are spaced so as to provide the corner portions of a substantially rectangular body. At each extremity of the body sticks 12 there is "ice provided a flexible covering 14 extending therearound in a manner now to be described. The following description will pertain to the construction of one end of my box kite, it being understood that each end thereof is identically constructed.

The flexible covering 14 is preferably of textile fabric and extends around the body sticks 12 to form a substantially rectangular enclosure. As will be obvious, the covering 14 has a stitched seam as at 16 whereby to provide a continuous, inseparable enclosure, and said covering may be hemmed as at 13 in conventional fashion to prevent raveling or fraying by the high winds to which a kite is normally subjected.

At each corner portion the covering 14 extends around the outer edgeof the body stick 12 and then is stitched inwardly of said body stick as at 20 to provide loop-like portions which slidably receive said stick. As will be seen most clearly in Fig. 3, the stitching 20 extends from both edges of the covering 14 but is discontinued at the central portion thereof to provide an area 22 which permits access to the inner corner of the stick 12.

A pair of oppositely disposed and diagonally extending cross sticks 24 extend cross-wise of my box kite and are disposed substantially centrally with respect to the'upper and lower edges of the covering 14. The cross sticks 24 are provided with notched portions 26 at each end thereof, said notched portions being adapted to make releasable engagement with the inner corners of the body sticks 12 intermediate the portion of said stick which is exposed by access opening 22. As will be obvious, the crosssticks will function to maintain the kite in its set-up position, the length of said cross sticks and the size of the flexible covering 14 being so related that the latter will be maintained taut when the kite is in its set-up position.

A bridle string 28 is secured to each end of any one body stick 12 as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Each end of the string 28 extends through suitable openings or apertures provided in the covering 14 and loops around the adjacent body stick as at 36 and is then knotted upon itself as at 32. Preferably, the knot 32 is a slip knot whereby the loop 3-0 may be loosened or tightened, as desired. An additional line 34 is secured to the central portion of the bridle string as at 36, it being understood that line 34 is the string that is controlled by the person flying the kite.

If for any reason it should become necessary to disassemble the kite 10, it is simply necessary to slide the opposite ends of the cross sticks 24 in opposite directions whereby the notched portions 26 thereof may be disengaged from their adjacent body sticks. in other words, looking at Fig. 3, the end of the stick 24 shown may be slipped upwardly toward the uppermost portion of the access opening 22 whereas the other end of said cross stick (not shown) would simultaneously be slipped downwardly toward the lowermost portion of its respective access opening. As soon as the cross sticks are disengaged, it will be obvious that the kite will then collapse. At this time, after loosening the looped ends 30 of bridle string 28, all of the body sticks 12 may be slidingly removed from the coverings 14. The coverings may then be neatly folded and the four body sticks and four cross sticks neatly packed therewith whereby to provide a com pact package of disassembled parts.

Conversely, when assembling the kite, it is simply necessary to first thread the body sticks through the stitched portions 20 of the flexible coverings 14 and then insert the cross sticks in their proper position to set up the kite and maintain the flexible coverings 14 taut. Here again, when assembling the cross sticks, they would at first be angularly disposed and then opposite ends slid in opposite directions until each end of each cross stick is centrally positioned within its respective access opening 22. -The bridle string 28 would then be looped and tightened, it being obvious that said string will not only function as a mounting means for the flying string 34 but the tightened loops 30 will also function to insure that the flexible coverings 14 remain in proper longitudinal relation to the body sticks 12. Actually, the tautness of the flexible covering portions will in itself tend to maintain said coverings properly positioned, and the. bridle string will simply function as added insurance with regard to this. The resultant kite is amazingly durable and may be dropped, bounced, and the like, without any deterring eifects.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A demountable box kite comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated body sticks disposed so as to form the corners of a rectangular body, a flexible covering extending around said body sticks whereby to define a rectangular enclosure, said covering at each corner having a loop-like portion completely surrounding the adjacent body stick, said body sticks being slidably received in said loop-like portions, an opening in each of said loop-like portions exposing a part of the inwardly disposed surface of said body sticks, and a pair of dis-' connected oppositely disposed diagonal cross sticks within said enclosure, said cross sticks having notched ends for making releasable pressure engagement through said openings with said exposed parts of diagonally opposed body sticks whereby to maintain said kite in set-up condition with the covering taut.

2. A demountable box kite comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated body sticks disposed so as to form the corners of a rectangular body, a flexible covering extending around said body sticks whereby to define a rectangular enclosure, said covering at each corner having a loop-like portion completely surrounding the adjacent body stick, said body sticks being slidably received in said loop-like portions, an opening in each of said loop-like portions exposing a part of the inwardly disposed surface of said body sticks, and a pair of disconnected oppositely disposed diagonal cross sticks within said enclosure, said cross sticks having notched ends for making releasable pressure engagement through said openings with said exposed parts of diagonally opposed body sticks whereby to maintain said kite in set-up condition with the covering taut, said exposed parts being unobstructed and of sufiicient length to enable said cross sticks to be slid therealong to relieve the pressure on the covering for disassembly of the kite.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 607,129 Potter July 12, 1898 781,104 Slinn Jan. 31, 1905 1,744,529 De Haven Jan. 21, 1930 2,464,720 Rose Mar. 15, 1949 2,533,570 Foy Dec. 12, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science publication, November 1947, PP. 170-173. Copy in 244-153 UXR. 

